Fletcher Granite Quarry and Railroad

[caboose]

Could smoeone give me a little backround on Fletchers Quarry Railroad?

[jfarrell]

The B&M Historical Society should have some information. I recall the locomotive Fletcher's used, is on display in Lowell, and undergoing restoration.

Joe

[steveh]

Fletchers had at least 2 ex-B&M 0-6-0's. The 410 is in Lowell, MA, and the 444 is on display at the Chatauqua Fairgrounds in Dunkirk, NY. Both engines look terrific. Here's a link to a page on the 444.
http://www.s363.com/dkny/display.html

[NellsChoo]

I know there was at least one article on the quarry in a B&M Bulletin. I guess they now have a new conection to Guilford, but last I heard, it may never get used. Anyone have info on that story as well?

[Steam]

Over the years, Fletcher's had several B&M hand-me-down steamers, not just the 2 mentioned above. The latest two are the only ones that survived. We journeyed out to the quarry in the early 60s when both the #444 and #410 were still on the property being slowly consumed by rust! Got pictures of them with trees growing up through the space between the cab and tender on one of them. At that time we never expected they'd both be saved and cosmetically restored.

[caboose]

Is the railroad still in operation?If so what type of engine do they use?

[jfarrell]

Fletcher's is still a supplier of granite and crushed rock. I recall reading a while back about their wanting to put in a new siding near the Guilford trackage, but the NIMBY contingents were putting up a fight.

Joe

[NellsChoo]

Track has been laid for the siding. I think they use a small diesel switcher currently. There are some locals that seem to know lots. If you go to the link below, you can see some photos.

http://photos.nerail.org/show/?byrail:1 ... y_Railroad

[cpf354]

A published report says Fletcher Granite, which recently installed it's own rail spur to connect with the Freight Main( ex Stony Brook Branch) in Westford, is still using transload at Larson's in North Billerica. Acording to Fletcher's, the rail rate plus the drayage still comes out cheaper than Guilford's direct rail rate.
An industry insider who says he has dealt with Guilford before was quoted as saying this wasn't suprising, and that taking traffic from Guilford was liike "taking candy from a baby"!

[MEC407]

That sounds about right.

[rb]

So where was the report published?

[MEC407]

Not sure if it's the same report that cpf354 is referring to, but the same quotation appears in a recent issue of Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports.

[NellsChoo]

So they are not using the siding they installed, right?

[cpf354]

Not sure if it's the same report that cpf354 is referring to, but the same quotation appears in a recent issue of Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports.

That's the one, the most recent ANR&P. Should have mentioned it.

[cpf354]

So they are not using the siding they installed, right?

Doesn't sound like it.
Where they are isn't all that far from any of the established locals, like the AY's or LO-1 or even LA-1. The transload, which is off of the NH Route Main in North Billerica, just maybe 5 miles south of Lowell, is probably just as close to Lowell as Feltcher's spur. The OTR part of the operation, trucking from N. Billerica to Feltcher's, is probably less than 10 miles. Difficult to understand why the rail rate can't be competetive.